What is abuse in care?
In the context of state and territory child protection systems, abuse in care refers to the substantiated abuse of children (including those at risk of abuse) aged under 18 who are in out-of-home care, on third party parental responsibility orders, or on other orders that transfer full or partial parental responsibility for the child to an authority of the state or territory. Substantiated abuse in care may involve physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and/or neglect. Substantiations of abuse occur after an investigation has found reasonable cause to believe that the child had been, was being, or was at risk of being abused, neglected or otherwise harmed.
Acknowledging the impact of child abuse
This report is primarily a data report. As such, it can at times appear to depersonalise some of the pain and suffering behind the statistics. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) would like to acknowledge the serious impact and huge burden that child abuse can have on those affected. It can inflict physical injury, psychological trauma and emotional suffering. These effects can last a lifetime and can affect future generations. It is our endeavour that, by bringing together the available data, we can strengthen the evidence to build a more coherent picture of abuse in care in Australia. This information will help to inform government policies and practice and assist in the planning and delivery of prevention and intervention programs.